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YouTube Video Editor and Photo slideshows being retired

Google plans to remove the two YouTube features Video Editor and Photo slideshows from the popular video hosting and streaming service.

The company revealed the decision on two YouTube support pages. According to the information posted on the pages, both features will be removed from YouTube on September 20, 2017.

The YouTube Video Editor provides creators with basic video editing functionality. Creators may edit videos they have already uploaded to YouTube in several ways, for instance by adding an audio track to the videos, or using quick fix and filtering functionality.

youtube video editor

Photo Slideshows on the other hand is one of the available creation options. YouTube creators could make use of it to create slideshows by uploading multiple photos to YouTube, and adding audio and transition filters to it.

Google notes that Enhancements will continue to be available through the Video Manager. Enhancements come with some of the features that the Video Editor offered. It includes some of the features that the Video Editor offers but not all of them. Text and Audio options are not supported for instance.

Here is a list of features that are not supported once Video Editor is removed:

  • Use the "enable text" filter to display text on the video. You may use the annotations functionality however to display textual information while the video plays.
  • The audio options -- changing volume, pan, bass and treble -- are not available anymore.

YouTube creators who have unfinished video editing projects  need to complete those until September 20th, 2017. Projects won't be accessible anymore after the date. Any video that has been published before the date through the Video Editor or the Photo Slideshows feature won't be affected by this move. These will continue to be available on YouTube.

One of the features that is removed with the Video Editor is the ability to quickly find and use Creative Commons videos in your own videos. Google suggests that YouTube creators make use of the Creative Commons filter under filters to find Creative Commons videos for use in your own productions.

Google makes no recommendation in regards to video editors or slideshow programs that users may use instead.

As far as photo slideshows are concerned, you may check out  IMGDissolver, Wow Slider, or Special Image Player as alternatives.

For video editors, check out Lightworks, or Shotcut.

Closing Words

I never really used the YouTube Video Editor or Photo slideshow tools, and don't know how popular they are. It seems likely that Google looked at the stats and based its decision to retire the two programs on those.

Now You: Which programs or services do you use for video editing or photo slideshow creation?

 

 

This article was first seen on ComTek's "TekBits" Technology News

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